Influence

Television carried cigarette advertisements when our younger son was four years old. As a result, every time an ad came on, I warned, "Those things have poison in them."

I never realized the impact the statement would have until one Sunday morning on the way to church. When we reached a four-lane freeway, the light seemed to favor the freeway instead of the side street. As we waited for the light to change, another driver pulled up in the turn lane. He seemed preoccupied as he smoked and looked off into the distance.

Almost immediately, my younger son rolled the window down and yelled at the driver. "Hey, mister, that thing you are smoking has poison in it." "You know, son, you may be right," the driver responded. Then he crushed the cigarette and threw it out the window.